Overview

Registered veterinary nurses are currently in short supply. So get your career in caring for animals off to a great start by enrolling on our programme. You will be eligible to register as a vet nurse with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons as soon as you graduate – so you can start working straightaway.

Our internationally recognised course provides an excellent grounding in all of the professional skills required for registration, as well as providing you with additional skills and specialisms culminating in your own scientific research project.

It is important to note that our Veterinary Nursing content is currently under review. Should you require any further information or clarification please do not hesitate to contact Clare Taylor, Programme Leader on cl.taylor@napier.ac.uk with ‘Veterinary Nursing Content Enquiry' as the subject. Thank you and please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused.

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Edinburgh Napier experience

Course details

This course gives you the knowledge, skills and attributes of a graduate level veterinary nurse, as well as the professional registration required to practise in the UK. You will get an opportunity to spend up to 60 weeks in veterinary practice, often in some of the most prestigious veterinary establishments in Scotland. With these qualifications you will quickly gain employment as a veterinary nurse and will enjoy accelerated promotion prospects.

We work with the College of Animal Welfare so we can place students in practice placements throughout the United Kingdom and Channel Islands. This means that, if you want to, you can spend half your time in Edinburgh, the cultural capital of Scotland, and the other half closer to home.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

Our entry requirements indicate the minimum qualifications with which we normally accept students. Competition for places varies from year to year and you aren't guaranteed a place if you meet the minimum qualifications.

Non-academic conditions

It is ESSENTIAL that all applicants demonstrate in their personal statement evidence of a minimum of 4 weeks' relevant work experience. This means practical experience working with animals within a veterinary practice.
This experience MUST have been completed prior to submitting an application.

Work within any of the following environments would also add strength to an application but cannot be accepted instead of experience in a veterinary practice: a zoo, kennels, catteries, farms, wildlife centres or stables.
Please note that applicants will also be expected to have had a tetanus vaccination and will be asked to show evidence of this.

Minimum year 1

SQA Higher

Grades BBBB required, to include Biology or Human Biology or Chemistry or Physics and a Literary subject*

National 5 grade C in Maths, English, and one of Biology or Chemistry or Physics also required.

Adjusted Offer Entry Requirement

BBCC required, to include Biology or Human Biology or Chemistry or Physics, and a Literary subject* at grade B

National 5 grade C in Maths, English, and one of Biology or Chemistry or Physics also required.

You may be given an adjusted offer of entry if you meet specific widening participation criteria as outlined in our contextual admissions policy. For further information see our entry requirements and admissions policies.

A Level

Grades BCC required, to include Biology or Chemistry or Physics and preferably a Literary subject*

GCSE Grade C/4 in Maths, English, and one of Biology or Chemistry or Physics or Double Award Science at grades CC/4 required.

Irish Leaving Certificate

Pre-2017 Grading System:

Grades B1, B1, B3, B3 at Higher Level, to include Biology or Human Biology or Chemistry or Physics and a Literary subject*

Grade C2 at Ordinary Level in English, Maths, and one of Biology or Chemistry or Physics also required.

New Grading System:

Grades H2, H2, H3, H3 at Higher Level, to include Biology or Human Biology or Chemistry or Physics and a Literary subject*

Grade O4 at Ordinary Level in English, Maths, and one of Biology or Chemistry or Physics.

BTEC (QCF) Extended Diploma Level 3

Minimum grades DMM (Distinction, Merit, Merit) in a related subject

GCSE Grade C/4 in Maths, English, and one of Biology or Chemistry or Physics or Double Award Science at grades C/4 required.

International Baccalaureate Diploma

Award of Diploma with 28 points overall with three HL subjects at grades 6, 5, 4 including a Science^ at minimum grade 5 and a Literary subject* at minimum grade 4

4 points in SL Maths, English, and one of Biology or Chemistry or Physics.

European Baccalaureate

Pass at 70% or above with grade 7 in three subjects including Science ^ and a Literary subject*

Gain Grade 6 in English, Maths, and one of Biology or Chemistry or Physics also required.

HNC

Pass HNC in Animal Care or Applied Science or Equine Care or Equine Studies or Animal Nursing with B in the graded unit considered for year 1 entry

National 5 C in Maths, English, and one of Biology or Chemistry or Physics also required.

HND

Pass HND in Animal Care or Applied Science or Equine Care or Equine Studies or Animal Nursing with BB in the graded units considered for year 1 entry

National 5 C in Maths, English, and one of Biology or Chemistry or Physics also required.

Subjects required

Minimum year 2

Advanced entry unavailable for this programme. This is because all Veterinary Nursing students must sit RCVS accredited and mapped modules throughout the programme including Year 1. Entry to year 2 or year 3 may be possible if an applicant has completed a Foundation degree in Veterinary Nursing. Please note availability will be limited.

Minimum year 3

Advanced entry unavailable for this programme. This is because all Veterinary Nursing students must sit RCVS accredited and mapped modules throughout the programme including Year 1. Entry to year 2 or year 3 may be possible if an applicant has completed a Foundation degree in Veterinary Nursing. Please note availability will be limited.

English Language

If your first language isn't English, you'll normally need to undertake an approved English language test. The English Language requirements for this programme are IELTS of 7.0 or above and with no element lower than 6.5. This is in accordance with Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) regulations and no other English Language tests will be accepted.

This may not apply if you have completed all your school qualifications in English. Check our country pages to find out if this applies to you.

Fees & funding

The course fees you'll pay and the funding available to you will depend on a number of factors including your nationality, location, personal circumstances and the course you are studying. We also have a number of bursaries and scholarships available to our students.

RUK Students starting in 2018/19 will be invoiced the 2018/19 fee for 3 years of their 4 years of study. Students starting in 2019/20 will be invoiced the 2019/20 fee for 3 years of their 4 years of study.